Hunter/Jumper Classes start @ 7a on Fri, Sat & Sun 1/14-1/16 in the Events Center

Alexis Haynes/Doc
Emma Gale/Gatan

Open Horse Show Performance Classes start @ 7a on Tues & Wed, 1/18 & 1/19 in the Events Center

Malia Mangham/Bugsy

And of course our own TUF crew & staff will be performing our  Fabulous Farm Animals on stage in the Beef Palace (ground level Hall of Education).  Fabulous Farm Animals is a Fact or Fiction game that we put on for local schools every year.  Games start at 10a & 11a during the week and last approx. 45 minutes.  We will NOT be showing weekends, MLK Day & 1/21. On Jan. 13 our show will be at the Livestock Center Arena & Jan. 14 at the Stadium Hall, Level 1.

Thanks, if we don’t see you during Stock Show we’ll see you starting Jan. 31 for the Winter 2011 JSW session!

During this holiday season, we wish you and yours blessings and peace.

Your year-end gift will make it possible to continue offering our programs to thousands of urban children and youth who do not have the opportunity to connect with nature and farm life.  The animals at TUF depend on the generosity of people like you for their feed and health needs.

TUF is a 501(c)3 organization and your contribution is tax deductible.  Because we qualify under the Denver Enterprise Zone, donations over $500 are eligible for a Colorado tax credit. You can send contributions to:  The Urban Farm 10200 Smith Road Denver, Colorado 80239 or you can make contributions through PayPal by going to the donation page at www.theurbanfarm.org.

Thank you again for your support.  We always say that The Farm speaks for itself – so we hope you will visit us in 2011 to see for yourself the little miracles that occur here each day.

The Folks at The Urban Farm

The Urban Farm 2010 Programs & Stats

Hello Farm Families and Supporters,

Click here for our holiday fundraising request and a fact sheet on our programs and statistics.  I hope you will open the files and read this information.  All donations are deeply appreciated  and many of you have given several times this year.

If you are so disposed, please share this email with family and friends who might be in a position to provide financial support to The Urban Farm.   Some employers match their employee’s contributions to nonprofits and may be supportive of the work we do here at TUF.  We can provide financial documentation and our IRS determination letter for interested contributors.

However you may be able to help The Farm, we are so grateful for your participation and for the opportunity to work with your children.

Have a wonderful holiday and see you in 2011.

Donna Garnett, Executive Director

Looking for a special present for the horse lover in your life?

Wondering what to do with your Embracing Horses rider during that long 6 week break?

Been thinking how fun it would be to have a few grown-up riding lessons?

We have just the riding package for you.

Donna Garnett and Tennie Bell of The Urban Farm are offering a

Holiday Riding Package Special

$180 for 4 lessons (must purchase by 12/24/10).

Private lessons offered for children and youth from the ages of 5 through 18 and adults.  Lessons are provided on our horses and ponies at The Urban Farm at Stapleton and are one hour in length. Tack is provided but students must provide their own SEI approved helmet.  Appropriate riding clothes and boots are highly recommended.  Both instructors are certified riding instructors.

Contact Donna Garnett at dmgdenver@yahoo.com or call 720-810-5475.

Contact Tennie Bell at tennie.1@netzero.com or call 303-548-5340.

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA:

Now on SALE! While supplies last–you can buy a book, authored by a friend of The Urban Farm. Makes a GREAT gift for any animal lover!

Caring for our Companions, Heroes & Best Friends
A Collection of Columns from the Greely Tribune
by Misti Aas

Discounted Holiday Price: $9.95 (shipping and handling is extra)

Buy Now, through PayPal!

Looking for something fun and educational to do with your kids?  Then 4-H is just the ticket.  Every Thursday evening from 5:30 – 6:45 pm through November, TUF is holding informational sessions for parents and kids to learn about the 4-H projects available at The Urban Farm.  Last week we spent an uproariously funny hour teaching lambs to walk on a leash!!!!  What a rodeo that was!  Join us for one or more of the sessions and find out about the many advantages to being a 4-H member at TUF.  Following is the schedule:

Nov. 4   Cloverbuds ( children 5 – 7 years old)
Nov.11   Non-livestock projects (e.g. shooting sports, gardening, photography, etc.)
Nov. 18  Large Livestock – Cows, pigs, horses
Dec. 2    Veterinary Science

TUF 4-H General Meeting

The November general 4-H meeting will be this Thursday (November 4) from 5:45 til 7:00 pm  Officer elections will be held.  All Farm participants are encouraged to participate in 4-H.  Plan to join us.  The Cloverbud informational session will be held at the same time.

In The Dark

We are literally in the dark – in our indoor arena.  Almost half of the huge lights in the indoor arena have burned out and we are teaching our evening Embracing Horses classes in a twilight setting. The replacement costs of each bulb is $258.  We need 12.  We have found a distributor who will sell us each light for $159.  Would you be willing to sponsor one big light bulb for the indoor arena?  If so, please send a check to The Urban Farm and make a notation in the memo line that you are sponsoring a light bulb.

Embracing Horses Winter/Spring Registration

Earlybird Registration forms will be sent out this week to all currently enrolled riders in Embracing Horses.  Forms and payment must be received no later than November 15 to ensure guaranteed enrollment and get the 12% earlybird discount.  Space is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis.

TUF Fundraising Committee Update

We still need to raise $40,000 by the end of 2010. Thanks to Kim Downing for facilitating the TUF Fundraising Committee.  Four subcommittees have been formed and your energy and expertise is needed on one of these committees.  Please contact Kim at kmangham@bigplanet.com to get more details as to how to be involved in helping TUF raise money to continue our programs.  The subcommittees are:

1. Small grant writing: This is something you can do from your own computer, on your own time.  It takes about 5-6 hours to complete and yields between $1,000 – $5,000.00.   We have the information you need to get started.
2. Large Grant writing: This takes 15-20 hours to write but the pay-offs are larger—anywhere from $5,000 – $30,000.00 (or more) These run about 4-8 pages long with 10-20 attachments.   Time is spent researching foundations and grants, and fine-tuning the grant application to fit the specifics of the organization we are requesting funds from.  A grant template has been developed.
3. Event planning: Several events – small and large – are planned.  These are projected to bring in from $7,000 to $15,000.
4. Sales of TUF Products: This can be anything from pony rides to birthday parties, garden plots, horse shows  and rental space.

Congratulations

Emma Gale, Alexis Haynes, and Malia Mangham had a great showing at last week’s Hunter/Jumper show at Hobby Horse Farm.  Three first place ribbons for Alexis and Doc, two seconds and a fifth for Emma and Gatan, and a first place ribbon for Malia and Bugsy.  Unfortunately, Bugsy stepped on Malia’s foot doing a bit of damage and resulting in her having to scratch from the remaining classes.

RESCHEDULED OPEN HOUSE AT TUF –  Saturday, June 26  10 – noon (free tours).  $5.00 horse rides for the kids (4H Fundraiser); bouncing castle; Feed Denver farm market, magical worm juice, compost for sale.

RESCHEDULED 4H Club Fundraiser – Saturday, July 3  5:00 – 8:00 pm  Hazel Miller Band Concert at Stapleton Founders Green – The 4H kids will be selling concessions.  All concession proceeds will help with 4H expenses at county Fair in August.

GARDEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – If you enjoy gardening, feel satisfied endlessly pulling weeds, enjoy planting seedlings and transplants, don’t mind getting wet from watering veggies, then we have the perfect volunteer job for you this summer.  Call Donna at 720-810-5475 or send email to dmgdenver@yahoo,ocm.

4-H Monthly Meeting — Thursday, June 17 — 5:45 – 7:00 pm.

4-H Fair Meeting – Tuesday, June 29 -  5:30 – 6:30  All Fair participants  must attend to finalize Fair forms.

Kitten and Baby Bunnies need good homes!  We have 5 show quality meat rabbits for sale (you don’t have to eat them they also make exceptional pets.  They need to be re-homed immediately (re-homing fee = $25).  Ten week old grey male kitten – well socialized and litter box trained – needs loving family.  Re-homing fee is $20.  Call Donna today at 720-810-5475.

4-H Project Meetings  — Day                                 Project                                Time                                    Leader
3rd Tuesday                        Goats and Sheep               4:30 – 6:00                         Meri
3rd Thursday                       Goats and Sheep               4:30 –6:00                          Meri

GENERAL MEETING 5:45 – 7:00                         All 4H Members
4th Tuesday                        Goats and Sheep               4:30 – 6:00                         Meri
Poultry                                4:30 – 5:30                         Donna
4th Thursday                       Goats and Sheep               4:30 – 6:00                         Meri
Swine                                  5:30 – 6:30                         Khadija and Stephan
Breeding Goats                 4:30 – 5:30                         Leda
Growing Good Food        5:00 – 6:00                         Kim
Cloverbuds                         4:30 – 5:30                         Lisa
4th Saturday                       Poultry                                10:15 – 11:30                    Donna
5th Tuesday                        Fair Meeting                      5:30 – 6:30                        All Fair Participants

YOU ARE INVITED!

Come to an Open House at The Urban Farm at Stapleton

Saturday, May 8, 2010  10:00 a.m. – noon

10200 Smith Road, Denver, CO 80239
(1/4 mile west of intersection of Havana and Smith Road)

• Free Farm Tours (Meet the animals and learn about Feed Denver)
• Farm Market (Fresh eggs, organic salad greens, goat’s milk and cheese)
• Pony/Horse Rides (Suggested donation of $5 per ride to benefit
• The Urban Farm 4H club)
• Information on Summer Programs for Kids and Adults

Contact info@theurbanfarm.org for more information

TUF Kids, Parents, Friends of The Farm:

This Saturday, May 1st the TUF 4H club will be having their annual bake sale during Mulch Pickup.  The kids have asked that everyone provide homemade baked goods.  Last year they made almost $400 in about 3 hours. They could have made more but they ran out of baked goods.  All the funds are used to help pay the costs of participating in county fair in August.

The kids are requesting your help in preparing homemade goodies.  All items must be individually wrapped in plastic wrap or in a ziplock type baggie.

Please drop off your goodies by 6:00 pm tomorrow (Friday) or at the latest — 7:00 am on Saturday morning.  The Bake Sale starts at 7:30.

Kids and parents are needed to help with this event. Donations of coffee are appreciated as well.

Thank you on the kids behalf.

This Summer at TUF:

Embracing Horses – Horsemanship Education classes for children 5 – 18 years. Beginner thru Advanced Levels, weekly evening classes or one week morning riding camps.

Storybook Farm — A farm experience designed especially for young children between the ages of 4 and 6 years.

I Want To Be A Farmer — This workshop is for the 7 – 10 year old who relishes wearing overalls and getting dirty, loves animals and growing things and goes gaga for tractors.

Agriculture in The City classes for grownups on Culinary Herbs as Healing Herbs, Keeping Chickens in the City, Introduction to Permaculture, Fiber Arts, and others.

Farm Tours – On most Saturday mornings, visitors can come by for a Farm Tour. A $5.00 donation per person over the age of 2 years is greatly appreciated.

Sleepover At The Farm – Kids 8 – 11 years old will enjoy this sunset to sunrise experience at TUF. Campers will listen to the coyotes, roast marshmallows around a campfire, tell “scary stories”, sleep out under the stars and have an early morning riding experience.

The Urban Farm’s signature program, Embracing Horses is an extremely popular program in which children ages 5 through 18 learn to care for and ride horses. A skills-based program, children progress through a variety of levels of riding and horsemanship. The program includes opportunities for kids to ride once a week as well as opportunities for youngsters who are interested in becoming accomplished equestriennes and in competing at local, regional, or even national levels. Embracing Horses has a great track record for launching girls, especially, into science-related fields of study. Yearly, about 360 kids participate in the program.

:: To Register for Classes AND to pay through PayPal, click here